McCAIN/PALIN: READ MY LIPSTICK - YOUR 15 MINUTES ARE UP!

We have all heard the story about if a tree falls in the forest and there is nobody there to hear it, does it make a sound? Now, let me ask you this question: if you were raped but didn’t have the money to pay for the evidence kit, did the rape occur?

I am an American white woman, a private citizen, who is stating, “Enough of the lies already! Where is the outrage from All women and All men? What is the documented voting track record of where our four political candidates stand on this issue of having the victim pay for their own rape kits?

OBAMA – In 2001, the state of Illinois, House Bill 1814 (HN1814) amended the Crimes Victims Compensation Act. In a nutshell, the Illinois Dept. of Public Aid will pay for ER treatment is there is no public aid or private medical insurance. You must report the crime within 72 hours and you may be eligible to be reimbursed for out-of-pocket medical expenses, loss of earnings, psychological counseling, and loss of support income due to the crime. Reimbursement can be up to $27,000.

BIDEN – Senator Biden wrote the groundbreaking Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which was rolled out nationwide 1994. This is the most comprehensive piece of legislation criminalizing violence against women holding batterers truly accountable; and subsequent Amendments have only enriched the original Act.

McCAIN – As recent as October 2007, Senator McCain voted “NO” on HR3093. This was an amendment to Biden’s VAWA ACT, which included a section from the Office on Violence Against Women asking for an appropriation of $430 million. Supposedly, McCain was initially for the Amendment but voted “no”.

PALIN - While mayor of Wasilla, and with Palin’s signature, Wasilla cut funds that had previously paid for rape kits and started charging the victim or their health insurers. The rape kits cost between $300-$1200. It appears the basis for this decision was not to burden the taxpayers. In 2000, the then Democratic Governor, Tony Knowles, signed legislation outlawing this practice; not Palin.

During her administration, it is reported that Palin asked for $27 Million in earmarks for her city. She also actively sought and built an ice-hockey rink. Yet nowhere could I find that she ever tried to change her original position on the rape kits and I ask, did she include this budget item on her wish list for the $27 Million?

I thank God that I have never had to go through the horribleness and ugliness of rape. It must be gut wrenching enough to even report it to the authorities but can you imagine you or a loved one calling the police, going to the ER, and then being asked by the hospital personnel how you are going to come up with the hundreds of dollars for the rape kit if your insurer doesn’t pay; and that’s if you even have medical insurance! I seriously hope that a victim was never denied the evidence kit if they couldn’t pay but how horrible for a woman in power to treat other women so carelessly. And let’s say it like it is; the majority of rape victims are women.

She talks about being Pro-life but that phrase can have many meaning. I believe that when a rape occurs, it is a very real “death” to the victim and she should have been doing everything possible to save the victim from any further assault. Did her administration charge for fingerprinting, forensic tests, etc. when other crimes occurred? Is not the rape victim’s body part of the crime scene?

It is said that a person’s true character is what they do when they know they can get away with it. This is not a minor issue and one that should not and cannot be trivialized by political rhetoric. Rape is rape and has no political affiliations. If you are as outraged as I am, please sign this petition for the sake of yourself, your wives, daughters, sisters, and sons and tell McCain/Palin that their 15 minutes are up!

Note: This Petition has not been approved by any political party or public official. The thoughts are my own.

We, the undersigned, are outraged by the actions of the McCain/Palin political ticket as it pertains to victim's of rape having to pay for their own rape evidence kit.